Share this article

Christian Friis Bach will become the highest-placed Dane with the United Nations when he takes over as the head of the UN's European economic commission next month.

A leading member of the governing Social Liberals (Radikale Venstre) is leaving Danish politics for a top United Nations position, the party announced on Wednesday.

Christian Friis Bach, the party’s group leader and Denmark’s former development minister, has been named the head of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). With that position, Bach becomes the highest-placed Danish official within the UN.

“I am very grateful to have been offered the position as the leader of UNECE,” Bach said in a statement. “There, I will have the ability to engage myself in foreign policy, something that I have a real passion for and have always been occupied with. I hope I can make a little difference in the UN and in the world.”

Bach will start his new position on August 4th.

The Social Liberals’ party leader, Economy Minister Margrethe Vestager, said that Bach’s appointment has “the backing of a unanimous parliament”.

“I am very happy to have a Dane and a radical placed so centrally in the UN,” Vestager said. “Christian Friis Bach in his time as development minister acquired solid international influence and he pushed through the biggest changes in Danish development policy in 40 years by putting human rights at the very forefront.”